TIPS for WRITERS from the PUBLISHING INSIDER. This eNewsletter is published by Jerry D. Simmons and WritersReaders.com where we are preparing writers for success.
Writer’s Digest – Check out my article in the July/August issue titled “Your Step-by-Step Guide to the Publishing Process.” Or if you want the expanded version with plenty of background and added features, buy my book What Writers Need to Know About Publishing available only at WritersReaders.com Books & More page.
Experienced, Professional, Quality Publishing – Successful publishing is a three-step process: For more information, send an email Jerry@writersreaders.com.
Paul Young’s Publishing Miracle – by Lauren Streib for Forbes.com (Excerpts from the article)
Make the Right Decisions – Paul Young was extremely fortunate, but he made the right decisions for his manuscript. If you want to know how this is possible, send me an email jerry@writersreaders.com, I‘ll gladly explain.
Self-Publishing Tips – by Josie Leavitt posted in Publishers Weekly (Excerpts from the article)
Do: Make your book look as professional as possible. Don’t: Have a spiral wire binding (unless it’s a church cookbook), laminated pages or folders.
Do: Send an email with details about your book. I love emails; I can’t misplace them and I can quickly refer to it when I need to. And they give me an easy way to contact you. Don’t: Come to the store unannounced and expect me to drop what I’m doing to review your book. There’s nothing that puts me off more than this. Respect my time and I’ll be much more disposed to look favorably on your book.
Do: Call to follow up on the email you sent. This reminds to review the email if I’ve missed it. Don’t: Be hurt if I don’t remember your book right away. We see lots of books. My lack of memory means nothing, other than I just don’t remember. It’s not a condemnation of your book.
Do: Try to leave a reader’s copy if you want me to carry a novel. I do try to read them and if I like the book, I’ll happily take several copies. Don’t: Get mad at me for asking for a copy to read. I know it’s expensive to have extra books; if you can’t have a copy for me to read, then maybe an excerpt would be good. I can’t just have things on the shelf I know nothing about. So give me so info that can help me sell your book.
Do: Try to price your book within the market ranges. I know picture books can be expensive to print, but a $25 paperback picture book will be hard to sell. Don’t: Not listen to your local bookseller’s advice. No one knows the market better than your local indie. Listen to their hesitations about carrying the book. See what you can do to modify the price. We had one self-published book that was really overpriced; we recommended a different printer and she got a much better price. As a consequence of the lower price we were really able to sell the book. I think by the time the print run ran out, we’d sold over 200.
Do: Think regionally. You’re much more likely to get your book placed if it’s got something to do local region. We’ve had good results with a book about boxers in Vermont. Don’t: Expect a Vermont bookstore to carry a book about California ponies.
Do: Have an invoice for consignment available when you want me to carry your book. In a perfect world, I would have my own form, but sometimes we run out, and it’s really helpful if you can keep track of the paperwork. Don’t: Expect me to buy three copies of your book. It’s not personal; it’s business. Better to have the book on the shelf than not at all. We sold thirty copies of a Chapbook on consignment and it worked out well.
Do: Tell your friends and the press (if you live locally) that your book is available at my store. Don’t: Not tell me if you’re going to be featured in the local paper. Nothing is more frustrating than getting caught by surprise by not having a book on hand that’s been featured in the paper.
On the whole, the future looks bright for self-published books. With the increase in quality, the stigma of self-publishing is going away. Remember to make your book look as professional as possible and be patient. We want you to succeed and nothing is more exciting than seeing a self-published book take off.
Quality versus Quantity – Most of the larger well known self-publishing or POD companies focus on signing lots of writers and selling added services (Quantity).
If you wish to submit your manuscript, send me an email and I’ll explain how, jerry@writersreaders.com.
Writers and editors: different roles, same goals -
By Denise C. Baron published in Ragan.com
.
What good editors don’t do is equally important. They do not feed their egos by making changes willy-nilly.
Still the so-called writers and editors lurk. It’s no wonder that the writer’s lament is that anyone can do his job. That’s because everyone writes, right?
Denise C. Baron is a director of global communications with Merck & Co., Inc.
This article was submitted courtesy of Michael Kleiner.
Michael Kleiner Public Relations and Web Design
215.704.2397 – 215.247.6523 (FAX)
kleinerpr@kleinerprweb.com – http://www.kleinerprweb.com
Author, Beyond the Cold: An American’s Warm Portrait of Norway
pr@beyondthecold.com – http://www.beyondthecold.com – http://podcast.beyondthecold.com
Successful Self-Published Author offers Tips for Writers – Lisa Genova is a successful self-published novelist, whose debut, “Still Alice,” became an Internet sensation and led to a publishing contract with Pocket Books. Here are her tips for writers who want to self-publish books. (Excerpts from the article).
Create a Web site, such as http://yourbooktitle.com / _new or http://yourname.com / _new. You can pay someone to create this, or you can do it yourself (quite easily, if you have a Mac), but you have to have a Web site.
Get social — virtually. Start making friends on Facebook, MySpace, Goodreads, Twitter, Flickr, AuthorZoom. Comment on blogs, review other books like yours at http://amazon.com / _new. Post a video (book trailer or author interview) at http://youtube.com / _new. And everywhere you go, leave a clickable link to your book’s Web site (or a link to where your book can be bought online).
Give your book away. And not just to the press. Give your book to people who are likely to love your story, who are loud and extroverted, who write blogs, who are in big book clubs — in other words, give it to people who are sure to spread the word and help create your buzz.
Be tenacious. This is likely to be a marathon, not a sprint. Be sincerely grateful to everyone who helps you on your journey, because it will take a village to raise a self-published book.
On-demand book publishing booms in 2008 – from CBCnews.ca (Excerpts from the article)
INDI Publishing Group – While there are variations in the way experts count on-demand books the fact remains the number of self-published titles is growing at a rapid rate. Become a part of your group, send me an email for submission requirements to jerry@writersreaders.com.
Writing Society Holds Annual Conference -
The Society of Southwestern Authors, one of the oldest and most respected writers’ groups in the nation, is holding its 36th annual Wrangling With Writing conference on September 26-27, 2009 in Tucson.
Workshops covering writing and marketing, and individual interviews with agents, editors, publishers and producers soliciting manuscripts and screenplays, are the main thrust of the conference, along with agent and editor panel discussions.
New to the conference this year is a playwriting contest. Members of the Society’s Readers Theater will present the top three finalists of the contest; audience vote will decide the winner. Three finalists will receive free admission, including hotel accommodations, and prize money.
Conference information can be found at http://www.wranglingwithwriting.com, or emailing ccstarlit@aol.com, or judejb@comcast.net.
Simon & Schuster opens e-book shop at Scribd –
Simon & Schuster has just announced a plan to sell digital copies of its books through the e-book website Scribd.com. The price? Twenty percent off the harcover price, which comes to a good deal more than Amazon’s $9.99.
Simon & Schuster opened a virtual storefront at popular online document-sharing website Scribd. There are now nearly 5,000 electronic books the publisher has available at Scribd.com.
Simon & Schuster digital books can be bought at Scribd then downloaded for reading on computers or mobile devices.
The publisher also distributes works to eBook readers such as those sold by Sony and Amazon, according to company spokesman Adam Rothberg.
Have you signed up with Scribd yet?
One of my favorite things to do is share with other authors where and how to market your books on a shoe-string budget. One of the sites I find quite helpful is Scribd.com, where authors can create a “free” account, upload their book covers, bios, and a chapter along with where to buy your book. If you own the rights, you can also partner with Scribd and upload the entire book to sell at their site. Another feature they have is a stat counter which comes in quite handy. I use this site to upload my articles which gives me more hits on my website. Happy Scribding!
Blessings, JudyLeBlanc
Multi-Award Winning Author
“You are the Gold and Love is within your Heart” … Excerpt pg. 57
Visit: http://www.manyfacestomanyplaces.com
Please Pass It On! If you find my newsletter helpful, please forward to a friend, colleague or family member who happens to be a writer. If they would like their own copy, send an email, jerry@writersreaders.com. With your sign-up I’ll send you my 18-page eBook titled “What
Writers Need to Know About Marketing.”
Reprint Information – You may quote from or use any of the information, all or in part, under the conditions that: (1) The republication is not resold or used for any other commercial use, and (2) The author, Jerry D. Simmons and website WritersReaders.com are prominently referenced. All written material 2009ÓJerry D. Simmons & Writers Readers.
Disclaimer – Please accept the fact that this newsletter is not edited. There may on occasion be grammatical, syntax, and spelling errors. I acknowledge the fact and apologize.
Jerry D. Simmons -
Author, Publisher, Speaker
INDI Publishing Group
Creating Opportunities for Writers
Author of What Every Writer Needs to Know About Publishing
Also available as an eBook
http://www.WritersReaders.com
Preparing Writers for Success
http://www.NothingBinding.com
Introducing Writers to Readers
